Testing Love
by xoRetributionox
Summary: Though this will end up a WoodyJordan fic, it starts out at the end of this season's premiere with Devan and Woody getting drinks. There will be bits of WoodyDevan at the beginning, but it's not exactly real, because Devan and Woody pretend to be dating t
1. The Beginning

Disclaimer: Neither Anna nor I own Jordan, Woody, Nigel, or any of them. Unfortunately. Lucky Tim Kring.

A/N: I know this chapter is a bit short; the chapters will hopefully be longer. This is just sort of setting the scene, so to speak. Even if the chapters aren't longer, they hopefully will come often. This is Alex, btw, xoretributionox. I am writing this chapter, then Anna (author of Surfacing; penname itsonlyme) will be writing the next chapter, and so on and so forth. Enjoy. Please don't flame; even if you don't like it, try to say it nicely. Oh yeah, this takes place at the end of the season premiere. We're ignoring the second episode of this season for this story's purposes. Wow. I just realized I basically restated the summary. Ahh! Sorry, lol, I'm tired. I'm not normally this odd. I don't think.

Jordan went back to her own office, lost in her own thoughts, and though she wouldn't admit it, stunned. Devan and...Woody? Woody with anyone other than her? As that thought flashed through her head, she froze. No. It couldn't be. She'd been trying so hard to keep herself from it. She'd only end up hurting him. But her efforts were to no avail. As she sat on the couch in her office, all thoughts of going home forgotten, she prayed to a God she'd long abandoned, trying to figure out why, despite everything, she'd fallen in love with Detective Woodrow Hoyt.

Down the hall, Garret sat in his swivel chair, staring at his computer. Useless, really, as his computer was shut off. This place attracted a lot of drama. Mostly about love, except for the murder of Jordan's mother. Him and Lily, Woody and Jordan, Bug and Lily (he saw the way he looked at her, even if Bug hadn't said anything), and now Woody and Devan...definitely not the two he would have seen together. Garret knew, though he was the only one except for Renee at the moment, that Devan wouldn't be leaving after her rotation was up because he planned to hire her. She'd caused trouble, yes, but she reminded him of a blonde, younger Jordan. Oftentimes he had thought himself crazy for hiring Jordan, but in the end he was always immensely glad. Something told him the ride with Devan would be just as bumpy, but something else told him she'd make a great ME. Hell, she already was good, especially for not having worked there long. Sighing, he stared at his black computer screen and failed to hear the telltale click of pumps on the floor. He jumped slightly when the hands came to rest on his shoulder, but when she spoke, he smiled, turning around. "Hello, Renee." Tipping his head up, he captured her lips in a brief kiss before slipping his arms around her waist and standing up, drawing her close and standing there in silence, simply enjoying her presence.

Devan walked down the hallway with Woody, laughing as they talked more about the elevator situation they had just managed to extract themselves from and NewGuy-err, Sydney. She leaned her head against his shoulder at one point, overcome by laughter as they rode down in the elevator. Once they stepped out of the lobby and into the parking lot, her jovial mood somewhat disappeared as she stopped. Woody, sensing she was no longer beside him, stopped and walked back a few steps. Looking down at the blonde with a small bit of worry, he spoke. "What's wrong, Devan?" She smiled up at him. "Nothing really...just thinking about someone. But, the car situation-I took a taxi this morning. I was lazy, I admit it." She laughed. "Anyway, so I guess that's not really a situation; I can ride with you. Do you want to go to the Pogue? I didn't know if that might be a bit...odd." Though she did not speak Jordan's name, he understood what she meant. He thought for a moment, and then spoke as they headed towards the car, his voice gaining sureness as he spoke. "It'll be fine. Let's go to the Pogue." She nodded, and both got in the car, buckling their seatbelts before Woody drove off towards the bar.

Back in the morgue, two men sat in silence at their desks in their shared office/miscellaneous things room. Nigel rested his chin on the wooden desk; his mind lost in thoughts of a certain blonde ME. They'd been flirting lately-not something he would have expected when she first came. Despite that, he was finding himself attracted to her and increasingly close to asking her out. She seemed to feel the same way, but he wasn't sure. How could he be?

The other was Bug; he sat staring at the tank of cockroaches that lived on his desk. Lily was so pretty-but surely out of his league. He doubted she liked him anyway, at least as anything more than a friend.

So the two men sat there, contemplating the women that they wanted to be in their lives in a different way. Jordan sat on the couch in her office, wondering how in the bloody hell this could have happened. She pulled her knees up against her chest; she really wanted to talk to Garret or Nige about this, but Nige seemed lost in thought about something and Renee was in Garret's office. Burying her face against her knees, she let out a sob and wondered how this ever could have happened. She didn't realize she might be overreacting, as Devan and Woody were only going out for drinks and hadn't actually done anything yet; she'd always been oddly hurt whenever Woody had a girlfriend or a date and realizing she loved him only amplified that. Down the hall in Garret's office, he and Renee walked hand in hand towards the elevator, her head on his shoulder.

What a day it had been, for all of them. And the promises of things to come as consequences-both good and bad-were abundant.


	2. Striking A Deal

Disclaimer: (points at previous chapter's disclaimer) What Alex said.

A/N: This chapter written by itsonlyme. Which is...Anna. Which is...me.

"A Scotch for me, and a beer for the little lady," Woody said, grinning as he sat down with their drinks. Devan laughed. It was nice to see him happy for a change. This was a side of Woody she hadn't seen in a while, not since the night he brought her the flowers after the whole thing with Alex Dwyer and Jane Harris. They had actually had a semi-normal conversation that night, and she had to admit, it was nice.

"Well, thank you Detective!" Devan said happily. "It's nice to know chivalry isn't completely dead."

"It's nice to know the chivalry's still appreciated by some women," Woody said. Devan could tell he was thinking about Jordan. He was always thinking about Jordan, how much he loved her, how he wasn't sure about how much she loved him, and how upset he was that she apparently didn't love him as much as he thought she did.

"Great," thought Devan. "I'm brain-rambling again...Perfect."

"You look like you've got some heavy stuff on your mind Woody," she said. "Care to share?"

"No thanks," Woody said with his trademark sarcastic grin.

"That wasn't a question," Devan said, matching his sarcasm with her own. "It's Jordan, isn't it?"

"Isn't it always?" Woody said with a sad sigh. "After the tunnel incident, she seemed...I really don't know, just, more **human** somehow. But she still pushed me away, even though I knew she had been scared and that I was scared **for** her. She seems like she doesn't want to be with me."

"She loves you Woody," Devan said, putting a comforting hand on his arm. "She's had a lot of rough stuff in her life, including some rough relationships, and that's kind of scarring. Wouldn't you be scarred by something like that?"

"How do you know all this?" Woody asked. He didn't think Jordan had told Devan about her mother and her brother. He didn't think **anyone** had told Devan about Jordan's situation.

"I've heard her mother was murdered, though that's all, and I can read people really well," Devan said. "They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and Jordan's eyes always seem rather clouded, like they've seen so much that they shouldn't have seen. I've seen eyes like that only one place before."

"Where?" Woody asked, now curious.

"Whenever I would look at Peter," Devan answered. "He always had that same look in his eyes as Jordan does. It was really sad. It's a good thing he left when he did."

"He did the right thing," Woody said. "I think an extended vacation in Hawaii will do him some good. In all the time he worked at the morgue, he NEVER took a vacation."

"He and Jordan are a lot alike," Devan said thoughtfully. "Anyways, don't worry about Jordan. She'll come around. And don't worry about doing other stuff with other people while you're waiting for her. You have a right to do what you want, and from what I've seen, she's not the jealous type."

Woody looked at Devan like she was a genius after she finished speaking. She had just given him an interesting idea.

"I'd like to test that theory," he said.

"What theory?" Devan said, giving Woody a weird look. "What'd I say?"

"About Jordan not being the jealous type," Woody said, speaking animatedly. "I'd like to test that theory." Devan finally understood what he was talking about.

"Woody, do you really think that's a good idea?" Devan asked. "I mean, what if she never comes around then? What if she figures you've moved on, and doesn't care anymore?"

"I know Jordan," Woody insisted. "She won't give up without a fight. And I think I know just the person to help me do this." Devan looked at him for a moment before realization set in.

"OK, woah," she said, putting her hands up in front of her. "You have GOT to be kidding me. She'd lynch you! She'd lynch me! EVERYONE would lynch me! This is NOT a good idea Woody!"

"Come on Devan," Woody said in a persuasive manner. "Isn't there someone you want but aren't sure about? Won't this be the perfect way to test how they feel about you? How Jordan feels about me? Please, just please pretend to be my girlfriend for a while? You'd be doing your local police force a gigantic favor..."

Devan was taken aback. Woody couldn't know about Nigel, he couldn't. She decided she couldn't take any chances. He was right; she **wasn't** sure about Nigel. Devan sighed with defeat and said, "Fine. When do I start...honey?"


	3. The morgue finds out

Disclaimer: What Anna said in the last chapter. Which was to see what I said....hmm. So see what I said first chapter, lmao. I still wish they were mine; we all do I think.

A/N: Hey, who watched CJ last night? I liked the episode, was disappointed by the twice near kiss but I do think the show writers seem to be intending to have a W/J relationship...although that might just be me. Anyway, you'll like this chapter, I hope. Last item of business: please read Surfacing, by itsonlyme-also known as Anna, co-author of this fic-as well as Blinded By Light and some others whose names I can't remember...all the ones who've been updated recently. I'll have Anna give names next chapter. And review this one and all of the others; we as authors really DO appreciate it.

Devan and Woody sat at the bar a bit longer, glad that no one from work showed up and even glad-though they felt guilty for feeling so-that Max wasn't there. What they were discussing was of a....sensitive nature, and it would not do well for the others to find out yet. Not long before last call, however, both of them felt a certain dogged tiredness in their bones stemming from the surprisingly emotional decisions that were made and from their "elevator date" earlier, as Woody had so endearingly referred to it. So after a bit of an argument, Woody paid for their drinks and they left the bar. They'd agreed that the sooner the charade started, the better, for even if they weren't around their coworkers yet they had to be believable when they were. So Woody's hand was on the small of Devan's back, and the smaller blonde leaned against him somewhat as they stepped outside of the Pogue's warmth.

"Thank you, Woody." She said as they stopped between their cars, she leaning back against her silver vehicle and him facing her, just a foot or two away. "Thank you too Devan....I know we're really just becoming friends, but this is something that I'm not sure anyone else would have done for me-aside from Jordan, and that's, well, not quite the same." He blushed, and she chuckled. "But really Devan, I do appreciate it. A lot." Looking down at her, his hands had at some point found their way down to her waist and now he drew her closer, and she didn't protest. "I'm going to kiss you now...we have to practice, you now." She laughed. "Mhm, that's it, I'm sure it is Woody." Yet she offered no protest as his lips gently brushed over hers before he drew her into a hug. Though it was left unsaid, both knew that it had been a nice kiss, but nothing phenomenal. And quite frankly, they were fine with that.

He pulled out first and she followed him, not sure where they were going. She was going to sleep on the couch at his apartment, and they were going to go into work together. They did stop at her place first, so she could grab some clothes and a few other things, and then they continued on to his apartment. She changed while he brushed his teeth and then they switched, heading off to bed with a goodnight.

The next morning, they rode in companionable silence to work. Woody had to observe an autopsy that Jordan was doing, so he was heading to the morgue first thing. When they got out of the car, they spent an awkward moment taking hold of each other's hand. Devan laughed. "Geez, Woody, we're supposed to be believable." He just scowled at her but couldn't hold it in. "It is semi-pathetic at the moment." As they started walking in, Devan mock-gasped. "Woody not being perfect? Noooo....never." He smirked at her. "Mhm, whatever you say Miss I-got-a-B-in Algebra-once." She squealed, punching him lightly with her free fist as they stepped onto the elevator. "Hey, play nice...honey." She wickedly grinned at him as Bug stepped onto the elevator and quickly pulled him into a kiss right before Bug looked at them. Woody was shocked, but soon realized what she was doing and responded, looping his arms around her waist and drawing her close. Out of the corner of their eyes, both looked at Bug surreptitiously, Devan working hard to hold in a giggle and Woody working hard to hold in a smirk. A few seconds later, they broke off the kiss and made it seem as if they were doing so reluctantly, out of respect to Bug (who happened to be the only other person on the elevator at the time), though they still held hands. "Hello Bug." Devan chimed as they stepped off the elevator at the morgue's floor, the couple leaving a stunned Bug behind who then had to dash forward before the elevator doors shut.

He immediately headed to Jordan's office, catching the ME by surprise. "Hey Bugs, what's up man? You look surprised-don't have a heart attack on me." Though joking, she was concerned for him. When he said "Woody...Devan...look...", she saw what he meant. Her mouth nearly fell open but by some grace of God she kept it shut and swallowed hard. "Well...ahh...I knew they were getting drinks, but that's not what I expected." As Nigel walked by, Jordan grabbed his sleeve and pulled him in. In the next few seconds, Garrett and Lily walked by, and they were sucked in also. Nigel spit a mouthful of coffee all over Garret when Bug recounted what he had seen, but the chief ME was too amazed. They'd all known Woody and Devan had become friends, and were getting drinks last night, but the speed at which the couple moved amazed them. They looked through Jordan's windows (her door now shut) but only saw a blonde head bent over her desk. So they all left to go their separate ways, except for Garret who hung back to talk to Jordan for a minute. "Hey Jor...you alright?" She took a second to respond. "Huh? What? Oh yeah-I'm fine Gar. No worries." She smiled at him and headed off to Autopsy One where Woody awaited, Garret watching her for a moment before heading over to Renee's office to consult with her on a case. As Jordan stepped in after putting on her scrubs and washing up, she began prepping the body, but looked at Woody out of the corner of her eye. "Hey, I see you got yourself a girlfriend now Farmboy."


	4. Trying To Hide The Truth

Disclaimer: Um, yeah...would we be writing this if we owned any of it? Nope! We'd be taking over the show if we owned it all. (Insert Evil Laugh Here)

A/N: Sorry this took so long you guys. My computer decided to suck, and then my father's computer decided to suck as well, so I was unable to get ANY Internet access or anything for a while. On the upside, I had my birthday on the 17th, and I bought the movie Stand By Me with the gift certificate I got. So when you think about it, I kind of technically own Jerry O'Connell, but my little sister says he's HERS in that one. Amazing how fast she gained some taste...Anyways, back to the story!

"Hey, I see you got yourself a girlfriend now Farmboy."

Woody turned around slowly to face Jordan, formulating his reply as he did. He had to make this one count.

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes, Devan and I are dating," he said, sounding a lot pissier than he meant to.

"A little pissy today, aren't we?" Jordan said, trying to make light of the situation. "You and Blondie have a fight or something?"

"No," Woody said, now getting irritated for real. "It's just that I don't see how it's any of your business that I'm seeing Devan now."

"Easy there, Farmboy," Jordan said, putting her hands up as if to stop an impending attack. "I was just kidding...Damn, did you leave your sense of humor in the elevator or something?"

"Sorry," Woody said, feeling a bit relieved. "I had a bit of a rough time getting to sleep last night. Not funny," he said, as he noticed Jordan stifling a laugh in her hand. "I had too much caffeine yesterday, and it caught up with me."

Jordan laughed in spite of herself. The idea of Devan keeping Woody up all night was disturbing to her, but funny as hell nonetheless. "I couldn't help it," she said, still laughing. "You walked right into that one."

"Just because you found this guy in the gutter doesn't mean you had to leave your mind there in trade," Woody said. "You knew what I meant."

"Look, can we just get to work on this guy?" Jordan asked, finally calmed down. "If you're wondering if I'm OK with you dating Devan, I'm fine with it."

"If you say so," Woody said, staring intently at a spot on the floor. He looked up at Jordan as soon as she turned her back. "She's so goddamned beautiful," he thought to himself. "I didn't want to resort to this, but if it's the only way to get her back, so be it."

Jordan turned, and her eyes met Woody's. She had heard somewhere-probably from the same place Devan had-that the eyes are the windows to the soul. She hoped to hell wherever she had heard that was wrong, because if they were telling the truth, Woody would be able to tell that she was lying through her teeth.

She wasn't OK with Woody and Devan going out, and she knew it. "I just hope he doesn't see it," Jordan thought. "I made him wait too damned long. It's my fault they're dating, but what can I do about it? I guess I missed my chance."

* * *

Nigel slammed the door to his office. "Damn it!" he thought. Devan was with Woody, he had seen it with his own eyes. He had been hoping to God that he was seeing things, but he hadn't been. "Damn it!" he said, sitting down at his desk. How had he let this happen?

"Well, let's think," he said to himself. "I flirted shamelessly with her, never asked her out on a date, and let Woody step in, all because I'm a bloody idiot. Maybe there's something I can-no, I can't do that. No matter how much I hate the bastard right now, I can't break them up. Devan's happy right now. But I want her to be happy with me! God, I'm a selfish bastard when I get to it."

Nigel put his head down on his desk, when he suddenly got an idea.

"Who knows?" he thought happily. "Maybe it won't last that long..."

A/N 2: Well, wasn't that a treat? Now there's only one thing left for you readers to do: REVIEW! Come on! You know you want to! Alex and I will send you your favorite character if you do! Or maybe cookies! Take your pick, just review!


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